Rogue driver is sent to jail

A banned Wigan driver was spotted at the wheel - despite having two suspended jail sentences hanging over him.

And David Connors has now been put behind bars for a total of 13 months and banned from driving for two and a half years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard a police community support officer saw Connors on March 7 this year getting into a silver Honda on a car park in Wigan along with two other men.

He knew he was a disqualified driver and saw he was behind the wheel as the vehicle drove away and the front seat passenger was apparently trying to shield the driver from his view.

Prosecuting, Sarah Holt said Connors, of Millers Lane, Platt Bridge, received a 12-month suspended sentence in August last year for aggravated vehicle-taking and driving dangerously and with excess alcohol.

That offence involved him driving one of two BMWs stolen in a burglary in February 2015 and he was caught after a police chase which ended when he drove into a cul-de-sac and got stuck in mud.

Last December the 23-year-old was caught driving while disqualified and received a further four-month suspended sentence.

Partly activating those two sentences plus a further four months Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said: “You have been given two chances. On March 7 you decided again to simply flaunt the court orders by driving. It wasn’t an emergency, it was completely unnecessary.”

She ordered him to take an extended driving test before he can get another licence.

Connors had pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance and breaching two suspended sentences.

Sarah Griffin, defending, said that Connors has a dreadful driving record and he knew a custodial sentence was inevitable. “He had agreed to drive the car a short distance with two friends which was extremely foolish and realises it wasn’t something he could do and get away with it. He can only blame himself.”

She added that Connors hopes to return to landscape gardening after he is released.